Container Substrate-pH Response to Differing Limestone Type and Particle Size

Abstract

The objective of this study was to develop reactivity indices to describe the pH response for liming materials incorporated into container substrates. Three reactivity indices [particle size efficiency (PSE), fineness factor (FF), and effective calcium carbonate equivalence (ECC)] were developed based on lime particle size distribution and lime neutralizing value (NV) in CaCO3 equivalent. Six lime particle size fractions (2000 to 850, 850 to 250, 250 to 150, 150 to 75, 75 to 45, and <45 μm) separated from each of three calcitic limes and seven dolomitic limes were used to calibrate PSE, and were based on the increase in substrate pH (ΔpH) incited by the particle size fraction relative to reagent grade CaCO3 when mixed in a sphagnum peat substrate at 5 g CaCO3 equivalents per liter of peat. PSE for calcitic carbonate limes at day 7 (short-term pH response) were 0.13, 0.40, 0.78, 0.97, 1.00, and 1.00 for 2000 to 850, 850 to 250, 250 to 150, 150 to 75, 75 to 45, and <45 μm particle fractions, respectively. Other PSE values were described for dolomitic carbonate limestones and for long-term pH response, and PSE was modeled with a function over time. FF was calculated for a liming material by summing the percentages by weight in each of the six size fractions multiplied by the appropriate PSE. ECC rating of a limestone was the product of its NV and FF. ECC multiplied by the applied lime incorporation rate could be used to predict substrate-pH response. Estimated PSE values were validated in two experiments that compared expected and observed substrate pH using 29 unscreened carbonate and hydrated lime sources blended with peat. Validation trials resulted in a close correlation and no bias between expected and observed pH values. Revised PSE values are useful to evaluate the reactivity of different limestone sources for container substrates given the fine particle size, short crop duration, and pH sensitivity of many container-grown crops.